Along the Patuxent

 

Most of the time, I'm at home tending to my dad.  I get outside help at least once a day for daily clean-up and a chance to do errands, or something more fun.  

I'm very lucky that I have others who I can call on when I want to do something special!

Today's special was a kayak tour of the middle Patuxent River near Mt. Calvert History and Archaeological Park, one of many public areas, wildlife sanctuaries, and historic sites making up Patuxent River Park

The leader said it was the perfect day for a paddle:  overcast, no wind, and not too hot.  Indeed, it was a very relaxing morning, though I may feel it in my shoulders tomorrow!

Mount Calvert, 18th century tobacco plantation house, now a small museum and the site of ongoing archaeological excavations

Before extensive tobacco farming silted up the river, ocean going ships could navigate quite a ways up the Patuxent.  This is the river that the British sailed up in the War of 1812 to march on Washington!

We also had a park naturalist with us on the outing, filling us in on the unique ecosystem that has made this particular area a desirable place to live for 10,000 years!

When you paddled close to the marsh, little fish popped up and
bounced along the water like skipping stones!

We went up the Western Branch tributary, encountering a beaver lodge, osprey nests, a canoe campsite, paddle boarders, and one obnoxious speedboat.

We all enjoyed the paddle, but I was quite happy to play the senior citizen card and let the younger folks load up all those kayaks back onto the trailer at the end!  

There's a place to rent kayaks in another section of the park nearby, so I might go out again!